Hands and Hearts
by Sixty Five Roses
Summary: Relationships bring new understanding and knowledge of one another, even after years of friendship. Sometimes what you learn is a little surprising and very unexpected, but the more you learn, the more you love.


**A/N :** _I'd like to thank Kadi219 for both the title and the description for this story, as it is the first time ever that I was unable to come up with both of those on my own._

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Sharon moved the forest green duvet aside and slid into the left side of the bed. She usually slept on the right side, but since it was Andy's bed and he also slept on the right side of the bed, she crawled into the other side. When Andy slept over at her condo, he usually did the same, but this was the first time she slept over at his house. They hadn't really planned on her sleeping over, but after a long week and a difficult case, she wanted to spend some time alone with him, and Rusty had Gus over for the night, so Andy invited her over, and after a quiet dinner, as they snuggled on the couch and drank tea, Andy suggested that she stays the night. She was reluctant at first. Even though they already slept in the same bed before, they haven't been intimate with each other yet. In fact, they haven't really done much more than kissing and holding each other, and Sharon wasn't sure if Andy's suggestion held a deeper meaning.

"You know, I didn't mean to imply anything by that," he said as if he read her mind.

"I don't really have any clothes to wear," Sharon replied.

"I have a T-shirt you can borrow, and I can probably find some track pants or shorts you can wear," Andy suggested. "And I have an extra toothbrush. And as a bonus, I'll give you a foot massage."

"Sounds like an offer I can't refuse," Sharon smiled at him. So now, after taking a quick shower, brushing her teeth and walking into the bedroom, she snuggled close to Andy.

"You smell really good," he said as he kissed her head.

"It's your shampoo, you know," she said and tucked her head under his chin.

"It smells much better on you," Andy replied and Sharon's lips curved against the skin of his neck. She wrapped one arm around his body and drew even closer to him. After the exhausting week they've had, she needed to feel his warmth and hear his heartbeat. These things always calmed her down when they slept together. "Are you about to fall asleep? I planned to give you that foot massage."

"Can I get a raincheck on that?" Sharon asked.

"Of course," Andy said. "If I get a good night kiss." He felt Sharon's lips making their way up his neck, peppering kisses along his jawline until they captured his lips and sucked on them hungrily. She hummed softly and he felt his heart racing. He loved it when she made these sounds. His hand started gliding up and down her sides, sliding his hand under her shirt and letting his fingers caress the soft skin he found there. Sharon hummed again and turned on her back, pulling him on top of her.

"It feels really good, Andy," she said as his fingers caressed her skin, never going higher than the bottom of her ribs. Andy's lips left her mouth as he crawled down her body and began planting soft kisses on the skin under her shirt, gently moving her shirt upwards. The touch of his tongue against the skin of her sides and lower stomach made Sharon let out a sound that was something between a stifled giggle and an excited moan, as Andy kissed his way up her stomach. Suddenly he froze. "Andy, what's wrong?" she asked. Andy slowly pulled away and lifted her shirt to expose her navel. He looked at Sharon and then at her stomach and then at Sharon again, quirking his eyebrows.

"You have a belly ring?" Andy asked. Sharon didn't seem like the type of person who will ever get body piercing. Andy knew that both her ears were pierced once at the lobe, like most women, but he never imagined she had any other pierced body part.

"It's a barbell, actually," Sharon replied. "Don't tell me you haven't seen one before."

"No, I have, you just…" Andy sighed. "I didn't know you had one."

"Does it bother you?" Sharon asked, as she sat up and looked downwards at her stomach.

"No, not at all," Andy smiled and brought his fingers to touch the simple metal jewel that adorned Sharon's navel. "Is it new?" His question made Sharon smile widely.

"No," she replied. "When Emily was 14 years old, she came up to me one day and asked for permission to get a belly ring. I wasn't sure this was safe, and after doing some research, I decided to serve as a guinea pig. I made a deal with Emily that after my healing process is complete, if she still wants to get one, I'll let her," Sharon said.

"Did it hurt?"

"Not as much as I feared it would be," Sharon replied. "But after seeing the size of the needle and the process involved, Emily asked if she could get a second ear piercing instead." Andy chuckled in response.

"Did you agree, or did you feel the need to test it out as well?" he teased her.

"I agreed," Sharon smiled. "And I decided not to remove mine, so here it is."

"I like it," Andy bent down and planted a soft kiss right underneath Sharon's belly button. "I think it's very sexy." He enjoyed watching Sharon's face turning red.

"Maybe you should get one too," Sharon teased him and pocked his stomach with her index finger. Andy shook his head and Sharon giggled. She laid back down and Andy did the same. He wrapped his arm around her waist and looked at her with an amorous gaze as his index finger drew circles around her belly button. The repetitive movement of his fingers was very relaxing. "It's just what I needed," she said softly.

"What? A belly button piercing?" Andy asked and his words made her smile. He always knew how to make her laugh.

"No. I needed this, spending time together, feeling you," she explained and turned to face him. "I love you, Andy. You make me happy."

"I love you too, and seeing you happy makes me happy too," he responded. Taking his hand in hers, Sharon placed it on her chest. Andy could feel the steady flutter of her heart under his fingers. It was strong and it almost felt as if he was holding the vital organ in his palm.

"Do you feel it?" she asked and he nodded, so enchanted by the movement under his hand that he could not speak. "It's yours." Andy felt a tear creeping out from the corner of his eye and flowing down the side of his nose, followed by another one and another one. Sharon's hand left his and came to rest on his cheek, her thumb gently wiping the tears away as the rest of the fingers caressed his skin. Their gazes locked and the intensity of their emotions made it impossible for them to look away. It was a while later, when fatigue started overcoming them, and it was Sharon who eventually moved her gaze in order to press a kiss to Andy's lips and snuggled closer into his side, entangling her legs with his. It was a few minutes later when their breaths evened out in unison, and they both sank into the mattress, letting sleep claim them for the night.

THE END

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 **As always, I'd love to know what you thought about this story, so feel free to leave a review or send me a PM.**


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